FROM RUBBISH HEAP TO THE SPOTLIGHT

29 year old Portuguese street artist Bordalo II (Artur Bordalo), wanted to spread his message about endless waste production. So he thought, what better way to talk about scrap, than to use scrap?

You can do great things, with little things.

He creates his entire work with materials salvaged from the streets, and delivers his message using animals to represent nature. According to him:

I belong to a generation that is extremely consumerist, materialist and greedy. With the production of things at its highest, the production of “waste” and unused objects is also at its highest. “Waste” is quoted because of its abstract definition: “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. I create, recreate, assemble and develop ideas with end-of-life material and try to relate it to sustainability, ecological and social awareness. – Artur Bordalo

Here are 10 of some of his greatest pieces.

1. This pretty, not-so-little, birdie.

2. This Raccoon who can’t believe he is now a star.

3. These Fantastic Flamingos

4. “Have you seen my boots?”, this puss asks.

5. Owl My Gosh! Whoooo gave this guy such talent?

6. This Porcupine that just wants to give you a hug.

7. This Wonderful Wabbit.

8. “Did you hear the one about the parrots made from scrap? They kept talking rubbish”

9. This foxy Fox, calmly waiting for a chicken to stroll by.

10. This chubby Squirrel trying to eat healthy.

These are just some of the numerous amazing scrap art pieces by Bordalo II. One of the things I find most intriguing is the fact that someone so young (29), could have the social-consciousness, talent and discipline, to create such monumental works. Out of just scrap.

My brethren and sistren, what’s your excuse? You don’t need Nepa to pick scrap from the ground. The streets if Lagos and most other parts of Naija are filled with them, all waiting for you. After you will say our streets are not paved with gold.